Los Angeles Jewish Health: Energizing Senior Life

Major Investment Will Dramatically Expand Inpatient Mental Health Services for Seniors in Need (LOS ANGELES, CA – May 15, 2025) — As one of California’s leading providers of coordinated senior health services, Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJHealth) is proud to announce it has been awarded $28 million by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) as part of Proposition 1’s Bond Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 1: Launch Ready initiative. The funding, announced by Governor Gavin Newsom, is part of an historic $3.3 billion investment in behavioral health infrastructure, supporting 124 projects statewide.At LAJHealth, this funding will support the expansion of inpatient behavioral health services for seniors, a critical step in addressing California’s growing senior behavioral health crisis. This expansion comes at a time of intensifying need. California’s senior population is projected to double by 2040, and with it, the number of older adults experiencing behavioral health challenges—particularly those who are low-income, medically complex, or socially isolated—is rising sharply.“California is facing a senior behavioral health crisis,” said Dale Surowitz, President and CEO of Los Angeles Jewish Health. “This transformative investment allows us to act urgently and proactively by expanding access to high-quality, compassionate inpatient care for seniors in acute psychiatric distress. We are deeply grateful to Governor Newsom and DHCS for recognizing the urgency of this need and investing in a more sustainable, responsive future for our aging population.”Governor Newsom underscored the importance of Proposition 1 in his remarks announcing the awards:“Californians demanded swift action to address our state’s behavioral health crisis when they voted for Prop 1 in March 2024. Today, we’re delivering our biggest win yet. Whether it’s crisis stabilization, inpatient services, or long-term treatment, we’re ensuring that individuals can access the right care at the right time.”This funding is part of California’s broader strategy to modernize the behavioral health system—increasing transparency, expanding access, and building the infrastructure necessary to provide a full continuum of care for individuals living with mental illness and substance use disorders.Through Proposition 1 and BHCIP, the state aims to create more than 6,800 new residential treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots, addressing urgent gaps in care across every region of California.

Dale Surowitz is honored for his commitment to improving San Fernando Valley life(RESEDA, CA – April X, 2025)  Los Angeles Jewish Health CEO and President Dale Surowitz was recognized with the Valley Economic Alliance’s Humanitarian Award at its 30th Anniversary Valley of the Stars Awards Gala on April 17th. The event, which took place at the Hilton Los Angeles in Universal City, celebrated Surowitz’s work on behalf of some of the most vulnerable members of the community.In the company of family, friends, Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) colleagues, and other Valley Economic Alliance honorees at the event, Surowitz acknowledged the role his LAJH coworkers have played in his success. “This Humanitarian Award is not just a personal award—it belongs to the entire LAJH family,” he said. “It reflects the unwavering dedication of our staff and volunteers, who bring our mission of compassionate care to life every day.”Surowitz joined LAJH in 2020, bringing over three decades of experience leading hospitals and healthcare organizations in the San Fernando Valley. His career has been driven by a focus on improving quality of life for a broad range of Valley residents.“I believe we have an ethical and social responsibility to take care of those who don’t have the ability to care for themselves,” he said. “At Los Angeles Jewish Health, we work together to uplift our community’s seniors and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.”Sonya Blake, the Valley Economic Alliance’s CEO and president, said Surowitz has had a profound impact on the San Fernando Valley.“We are proud to present the Humanitarian Award to Dale,” she said. “His unwavering commitment to leading an organization that provides exceptional care and support to our seniors is truly inspiring and strengthens the fabric of our community.”The Humanitarian Award adds to the long list of honors Surowitz has received throughout his career including the Fernando Award (the highest award for volunteerism and philanthropy in the San Fernando Valley), the Community Leadership Award from MAPS Charities and the Heart of Gold Award from the Child Development Institute. In addition, he is a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ Valley Advisory Board.Surowitz oversees the largest nonprofit, single-source provider of comprehensive senior healthcare in the greater Los Angeles area. From independent and assisted living to short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and a leading PACE adult day healthcare program, LAJH serves more than 4,000 seniors each year. 

Passover is a time for celebration around the world as Jews mark the liberation of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. This year, across the campuses of LAJH, residents joined together with visitors, family, and staff enjoying delicious food, inspirational music, and the ritual retelling of the biblical Exodus.On the Grancell Village campus, residents of the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer (JEK) Medical Center and the Mark Taper Building gathered for the campus’ annual seder, generously sponsored by philanthropist Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer. Led by LAJH Chief Mission Officer Rabbi Karen Bender, the seder featured  musicians Cindy Paley and David Kaminer, as well as a surprise appearance by “Moses” carrying a baby sheep residents could pet and cuddle.“The reputation of our seder is that it’s special and spectacular, and we’re incredibly grateful to Ms. Eisenberg-Keefer for making it possible every year,” says Ilana Springer, JEK’s CEO and administrator. “It’s so joyful and is a fantastic community-building experience. This year, we hosted at least 200 people!”Additionally, members of JEK’s Drama Club put on a production of the Passover story; residents ran auditions, acted in, and produced the play, which was a huge hit with all in attendance.The Eisenberg Village campus played host to four seders, two for residents of the Newman Building and two more for residents of LAJH’s Fountainview community. On hand to officiate were Rabbi Bender and Rabbi Barry Lutz.“At each event, residents sat together at communal tables decorated with beautiful linens and flower arrangements, and everyone received their own seder plate,” says Annette Weinberg, campus lifestyle and enrichment director for Eisenberg Village. “The seders were truly lovely, and our residents were excited to participate!”Coinciding with the holiday, all Eisenberg Village residents were invited to attend a dynamic Israeli dance performance as well as a traditional Moroccan Jewish celebration of Mimouna (meaning “faith”), a time when families traditionally open their homes to guests and serve an assortment of sweets as they wish each other “success” for the coming year.It was a busy holiday at LAJH—and a wonderful way to usher in a gorgeous spring season! Large crowds atttended Grancell Village's celebration, which included music by Cindy Paley and a visit from "Moses" holding a gentle lamb. Donor (and former board member) Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer and board member Nicholas Thacker were also in attendance, demonstrating their continued support Fountainview residents and guests enjoyed two meaningful Seders led by Rabbi Barry Lutz and Chief Mission Officer, Rabbi Karen Bender, as well as a traditional Moroccan Jewish celebration The Newman Building's Passover Seder offered an interactive experience of the Exodus through readings, songs, and food along with a traditional Israeli dance performance These plates from the Goldenberg-Ziman Special Care Center event showcase the dining staff’s ability to thoughtfully create individualized Seder plates, ensuring the participation and enjoyment of all those at LAJH At the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, residents showcased a heartfelt Passover performance. They wrote and directed the play themselves, bringing the timeless story of Passover to life with creativity, spirit, and meaning Grancell Village residents took part in the traditional biur chametz, the symbolic burning of leaven, before the Passover Seder Our diligent dietary team, joined by Chief Mission Officer, Rabbi Karen Bender, and overseen by a representative of our Mashgiach, Yehudah Bukspan, engaged in the process of kashering the areas dedicated to culinary endeavors for Passover. This procedure is designed to ensure all aspects of the kitchen are kosher for Passover, employing a thorough cleansing regimen that utilizes boiling water on every surface and utensil, as well as eliminating all leaven such as yeast and baking powder. 

Last month, Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) CEO and President Dale Surowitz received the Valley Economic Alliance’s prestigious Humanitarian Award. To anyone who knows Dale, the recognition came as no surprise. He took the helm at LAJH just five years ago, but his involvement with the organization—a nonprofit that has been beloved in the Jewish community for more than a century—began decades earlier. In his youth, he visited relatives living at LAJH,  then, as he advanced his career as head of prestigious healthcare organizations (including Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana), he contributed to LAJH as a leadership volunteer.“Dale works tirelessly to advance the greater good of the community,” says Larissa Stepanians, LAJH’s chief operating officer. “He looks at every opportunity for us to improve the lives of the seniors we serve.”That relentless focus on strengthening senior services has been characteristic of Dale’s tenure at LAJH. Since his arrival, he has continued to blaze a trail to excellence, inspiring everyone from the leadership team to individual staff members to find new ways to help seniors thrive.“I believe we have an ethical and social responsibility to take care of those who don’t have the ability to care for themselves,” Dale says. “At LAJH, we work together to uplift our community’s seniors and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.”Dale’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in advancing LAJH’s vital mission. Under his stewardship, LAJH was a national leader in keeping residents safe during COVID, showing it was possible to provide seniors with a secure and nurturing environment even in the midst of a global pandemic.“At LAJH, we have our own on-site practitioners, nurses, therapists, and pharmacists. As a result of our coordinated care and service, we are well-positioned to ensure our seniors stay as healthy as possible, despite whatever challenge comes our way,” Dale says. “I’m incredibly proud of our entire team—under the direction of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Noah Marco and Chief Nursing Officer Tim Carlson—each of whom contributes to our community in their own amazing ways.”Another of Dale’s key strengths is building collaborative relationships with prominent community partners to create an even larger, dynamic network of care capable of meeting the full range of needs for a rapidly growing population of vulnerable seniors.Those partnerships include teaming up with Altamed, the largest provider of healthcare services to the Latino community in East Los Angeles and into Orange County, to establish a satellite campus of LAJH’s renowned Annenberg School of Nursing. The goal is to train more highly skilled nursing professionals and expand LAJH’s ability to have a positive health impact on L.A.’s senior community.“We have a truly outstanding nursing program, ranked among the state’s best for licensed vocational nursing (LVN) programs, and we’re excited to offer our expertise to benefit even greater numbers of seniors,” Dale says.Among Dale’s other ongoing initiatives is growing the footprint of LAJH’s Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC) PACE program, which provides seniors the crucial resources and support they need to remain living safely in their homes while receiving health and social services at vibrant activity centers.“We’ve submitted applications to build new BCSC PACE facilities in Van Nuys, the South Bay, and Palm Springs. This program reaches out into the community and helps coordinate care for seniors by providing them with primary care services, specialty healthcare services, adult day healthcare, transportation, and meals—and it’s all included,” Dale says. “BCSC PACE reduces hospitalizations and enhances quality of life, and in my view is one of the best things going in healthcare today.”Funding these ambitious plans requires ongoing investments from dedicated philanthropists. To meet this need, LAJH will be embarking on a new capital campaign to share LAJH’s story, and the critical need for resources, among key individuals and groups.“We’re going to be engaging donors in efforts to revitalize our campuses, including adding more independent and assisted living,” he says. “The number of seniors in L.A. is predicted to double between 2020 and 2040; people are living longer and outstripping their financial resources. We urgently need more housing and more coordinate care and services, but who will step up to make that happen? At LAJH, we believe it’s our obligation to do so.”Dale’s commitment to giving back is clear evidence of why members of the Los Angeles philanthropy and business communities have honored him for decades. In addition to the Humanitarian Award, he has also been recognized with the Fernando Award (the highest award for volunteerism and philanthropy in the San Fernando Valley), the Community Leadership Award from MAPS Charities and the Heart of Gold Award from the Child Development Institute. He is also a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ Valley Advisory Board.Yet, even when he is earning accolades, Dale deftly switches the subject away from himself and back to his enduring passion: guaranteeing LAJH’s long-term success and sustainability as a provider of essential senior care.“There’s so much for us to do if we are going to meet the rising tide of need, and I believe LAJH is up to the challenge,” he says. “This is a truly special place, where we treat residents as if they are members of our own family and where we remain focused on what matters most: making a positive difference for today’s seniors and for seniors in the future.”

By Noachim (Noah) Marco, MD, CMD - Chief Medical Officer - Los Angeles Jewish HealthOriginally published here by the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM).I have been a primary care doctor for over 36 years. Over that time, many of my older patients told me a goal of theirs was to get to age 100. It is a landmark birthday, that in 2024 only 0.03% of the US population achieved. The Today show on NBC, continues to honor centenarians by showing their images and briefly describing what they enjoy doing.Therefore, it was surprising to me when a few years ago one of my nursing home residents told me that she wanted me to get her to 99 and one day. I asked Evelyn why her goal was 99 and one day, rather than age 100. Evelyn who was 96 at the time, said that when she hits 99 and one day that she will be able to tell everyone that she is in her 100th year. I responded to her like I had to my other patients that expressed a goal for longevity. I told her that I would do everything medically appropriate to help her reach her goal.Once again, Evelyn responded atypically. She said, “Not so fast, Dr. Marco. I know you are busy, but I’m not done. I have to tell you it’s not just hitting 99 and one day, but how.”She then went on to remind me how she loved to walk. She said that when the weather is bad, and she could not walk around “The Home”, (Grancell Village of Los Angeles Jewish Health) she would walk the hallways of her floor. She told me, “The nurses have even put a chair at the end of each hallway so when I get tired I can sit and rest.” I hoped that I masked my reaction thinking about the possible citation the fire marshal would give us if that was discovered.She went on to describe how she noticed that there are a lot of people in wheelchairs in her building, and divided them into two groups. One group could “self-propel” (her phrase) and go where they want, when they want. The other group are taken out of their beds in the morning, and placed in a wheelchair. Then they are rolled into the common areas. Later, returned to their bed when the nurses decided to do so.I immediately understood what made Evelyn’s two groups of non-ambulatory residents different. The second group predominately had advanced dementia.Evelyn then said, “Dr. Marco, I want to get to 99 and one day, but not if I am like the people who can’t self-propel their wheelchair.” She asked that I do what I could to keep her walking, but life would be acceptable to her if she had to be in a wheelchair. As long as she could go where she wanted, when she wanted.Those few sentences spoken by Evelyn were not stimulated by any question that I asked, and they were much more powerful than the typical answers I got by the questions I asked to understand my patients’ goals of care.I reviewed with Evelyn, and her family that based on what she told me, our team would send her to the hospital if we could not control an acute exacerbation of her chronic conditions, or if she developed a serious acute issue, such an infection. Later, when the nurses called me telling me Evelyn wanted a sleeping pill, I told them (and later told Evelyn) that prescribing it was not consistent with her wishes. It could increase her risk of falling, which might cause her to end up in a wheelchair or even worse have a severe brain injury.I walked into Evelyn’s room on her 99th and one-day birthday and wished her a happy one hundredth year. I asked her “Evelyn are we done?” As expected, she told me her new goal (with the same conditions) was to get to age 100. A similar question and answer occurred on her 100th birthday. On her 101st birthday, the response was quite different.Evelyn shook her head no when I asked if the plan we had followed should stay the same. At that point, she was mostly in bed, on continuous supplemental oxygen, and could not speak more than a few words at a time. She then made a horizontal back and forth motion with her hand across her neck. Signifying she was done. I asked a few more clarifying questions, and looked up at her daughter, who gave me a confirming response. I then put in the order for Hospice, and discontinued all medications not devoted to her comfort.Three months later, I got a call from her nurse saying that Evelyn was transitioning. I quickly walked the few hundred feet from my office to her room. I had the all too rare fortune of watching my patient take her last few breaths, in comfort and peace, and in the place she called home. Her family and the staff who loved her, shared her last moments and honored her remarkable life.I tell Evelyn’s story at least every other week when I mentor the Internal Medicine Residents, and Geriatric Fellows that rotate to my facility. I explain how unfortunately rare it is for patients, their families and clinicians to have such clear and stress-free, end of life decision making. I stress that our standard questions don’t get us the richness of information that we need to replicate Evelyn’s story. I suggest to them that establishing that longevity is a goal is not enough. A question such as “Is there any situation where you would not want to live longer?” should be asked and the responses explored. I hope that our sessions inspire them, and that when they are having end of life conversations that they, and you, remember Evelyn’s words, “Not so fast”.Noachim (Noah) Marco, MD, CMDChief Medical OfficerLos Angeles Jewish Health

At Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH), we are enormously proud of the dedicated staff members who help care for our beloved residents. Each person on the team brings their own unique talent and history to the organization, together weaving a beautiful tapestry of care, compassion, and love.Tapestries are right up the alley of Radka Falk, director of LAJH’s popular Arts & Crafts Room, located on the Eisenberg Village campus and a key component of the Lifestyle and Enrichment Department. For nearly 20 years, Radka has been a supportive, engaging, and steadying force at LAJH, helping residents channel their creative energies as they make extraordinary objects of art.Radka FalkA native of Bulgaria, Radka emigrated to the United States in 2000—a single mother of two in search of better economic opportunity.“I worked for a big newspaper and also as a teacher in Bulgaria, but once my son was accepted to university there, I knew that, even with multiple jobs, I wouldn’t have been able to pay his tuition,” she recalls. “It was time for me to make a change.”When she arrived in the U.S., Radka found employment as a private caregiver. In addition to introducing her to her future second husband (a friend of the owners of the caregiving company), the job enabled her to develop critical skills for working with seniors.“One of my clients had Alzheimer’s, and when she was accepted at LAJH, I came and stayed with her for a time,” she says. “The wonderful people I met there offered me a position helping with activities, and that was almost two decades ago. I’ve never looked back.”What many do not know about Radka is that she is an accomplished writer and painter who has authored multiple well-received volumes of poetry. Securing her position at LAJH allowed her to combine her interest in the arts with her newfound abilities in senior care. Under her direction, the Arts & Crafts Room has become a beloved retreat for residents, many of whom visit several times a week. She shares her passion for textile-making and helps others create beautiful handcrafts, from sweaters and skirts to quilts. The participants also work with Radka to explore a wide array of other artistic mediums and to explore their culinary side by cooking delicious baked goods in the onsite kitchen.“I love to knit and to sew, and I also love to help people,” Radka says. “In this job, I get to do both. I am so grateful to have found a home at LAJH.”Both Radka’s colleagues and residents at LAJH say the appreciation is mutual.“It is a pleasure working with Radka,” says Annette Weinberg, campus lifestyle and enrichment director for Eisenberg Village. “There’s something very special about her: She’s such a positive force and a loving person, and her creativity is just amazing. Whether someone needs a hem stitched or we’re seeking blooms to decorate the dining room, she always says ‘yes.’”It’s a sentiment repeated again and again by all who know her.“Radka and I have been close,” says resident Norman Garber. “It’s a pleasure collaborating with her because she’s so talented; there isn’t a thing she can’t do. And she is so compassionate and kind—always with a positive word for everyone.”Radka helps display artwork from resident Norma GarberRadka’s cheerleading offers residents a big boost as they undertake new creative endeavors.“She’s so fantastic at helping me explore my sewing abilities, and she helps me push the limits of what I can learn to do,” says resident Casey Joseph. “I love how understanding Radka is and how she can listen to your ideas, then figure out a way to make them real. It’s such a feel-good environment that I look forward to coming to Arts and Crafts five days a week!”Arlene Bercu, another LAJH resident, is equally glowing in her praise.“I knew at once after touring the Arts and Crafts Room that it would be my happy place,” she says. “Everything Radka does is original and creative, from the beautiful handbags down to the made-from-scratch mandel bread. I actually wore a dress she made me in our recent Purim play. I always tell her she should have owned her own couture shop!”In March, Radka brought the world of high fashion directly to LAJH, working with Annette and the rest of the Lifestyle and Enrichment team to run a fashion show featuring clothes she has made for residents. The clothes were modeled by the residents themselves.Radka at the Newman Building fashion show featuring clothes she has made for residents“We had a runway for our models, and nearly all of the women who spend time in the Arts and Crafts Room participated, including some who actually had careers as fashion models!” she says.Whether coordinating a runway or supervising a cross-stitch, Radka brings her signature creativity, energy, and enthusiasm to every endeavor.“I enjoy doing all this stuff, and it’s exciting because I am able to create something new every day,” she says. “I absolutely love this job.”